Sterilizing- device



` Feb. 2 192e. 1,571,872

, E. R. ULRICH STERILIZING DEVICE I 61@5 E55 Eik-311 Feb. 2 ,1926. 571,872

Ef R. ULRICH STERILIZING DEVICE Filed my 27, 192s 3 sheets-sheet s d704 JU 702 A7041 6 702.

100 gg gjm/g 9 7 1Z0 gf five/wf@ fai/)afd ZE @7350@ Patented Feb. 2, 1926.

paaren srarss ED'WARD B. ULRICH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOS.

STERILIZING DEVICE.

Application (iled July 27, 1923. Serial N0. 654,177.

Re it known that l, EDWARD Il.. limiten, a citizen ot the United States, and a resident ot Chicago, in the county of Coolcand State ot illinois, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Sterilizing Devices, ot which the following is a specification.

The invention relates toimprovements in sterilizing devices7 the general object Iof which is to provide a drawer or similar' container tor holding objects to be sterilized; such as medical, dental, chiropodist or barber instruments, for enample.

In carrying out the invention, a drawer having a sterilizing compartment or tray for containing the objects to be sterilized is provided. Contiguous to the said compartment is a connected chamber for containing the sterilizing substance; the said substance being preferably a solid or liquid which will volatilize more or less readily so that sterilizing gas will be emitted from the chamber and permeate the said sterilizing compartment.

The passage-way connecting the saidY chamber for containing the sterilizing substance and the sterilizing compartment is controlled by a pair of valves; the saidY valves being effective to close the passageway the initial opening or withdrawing ci the drawer from its compartment, and then to become non-effective at the time the drawer is finally returned to its normally close-rl position in its com aartinent. .That is to say, the initial portion of the opening .movement of the drawer will seal the sterilizing compartment from the chamber containing the sterilizing substance and the final portion oi' the movement ot the drawer in its being closed will serve to open the sterilizing Wchamber with relation to the sterilizing compartment. Thus, while the drawer sterilizing compartment is more or less open to the air. the sterilizing agentis sealed against gaseous escape, and when the 'drawer is closed the steriliaing agent gas is 'irre -to permeate the sterilizing compartment 'ii the drawer.

'lt will appear thai each time the drawer is witinlrawn troni its compartment acertain amount oi the sterilizing gas will be salvaged from the sterilizing chamber. and practically the bal-ance or the contained gas thereof will he withdrawn into an intermediate reservoir cylinder @Olllainer to be ejected through the purifier into the outside air, the quantity ot gas ejected into the outside air being thereafter supplied from the chamber containing-` the sterilizing agent after 4the drawer has been returned to it normally closed position.

The general operation of the invention being now clear7 reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows a top plan view of the drawer and its compartment wherein the top ot the said compartmenthas been removed to show the sterilizing tray 12.

Fig. 2 shows a top plan view of the drawer shown in Fig. 1 with the tray 12 removed, and certain elements contained in the drawer broken away.

Fig. 3 shows a section of Fig. 1 at the section line indicated by the indexes 3 3.

Fig. 4 shows a top plan vie-w of the drawer and containing compartment of Fig. 3 at the section line indicated by the indexes L l F ig. 5 shows an elevation ot the drawer and containing compartment of Fig. 3 at the section indicated by the indexes 5 5.

Referring to Fig. 1, the instrument tray 12 has dividing ridges 13 extending at right angles from the lett-hand plane edge of the tray. Ridges 14 extend longitudinally in the tray, and short dividing ridges 15 aligning with ridges 13 and 14, respectively, eXtend from the right-hand plane edge. The. top faces ot the ridges 13, 14 and 15 are flush with each other and the top plane of the tray 12. The depressed spaces defined by the walls of the ridges 13, 14 and 15 are used to store instruments, or the like, 'for sterilization.

rl`he tray 12 forms the top of the drawer element 15 wherein the top of the tray 12 is flush with the top edge of the drawer.

A. drawer con'ipartmentv 13 norn'ially encloses the drawer 1G; the drawer being adapted to slide-.bly co-operate with the said compartment 13. rThe inside tace of the top ot the drawer compartment 13 has a felt facing 2O as shown in Fig. 5. In order that the drawer will be adapted to be easily withdrawn from its compartment by means oi the handle 21 attached to the front panel ot the drawer 1G. an automatically adjusting caster iitted depending from the under side ot each ot the rear two corners ot the drawer, and ,Similar pair of casters 24 is fitted upright at each of the front corners of the drawer compartment 18. A narrow plain run-way 25 having' a beveled approach portion 26 is provided at each side at the rear of the drawer compartment cooperative with the casters 23, respectively. Also, at each of the front corners of the drawer and depending therefrom is a narrow plain run-way 27 (similar to the runn way 2G, but inverted) having a beveled approach portion 28. The casters thus serve to support the drawer when it is d awn out of its compartment; the caster rolling on the edge of the inside surface 29 of the drawer compartment bottom and the caster 24 rolling on the edge 3() of the bottom of the drawer. The resilience of the spiral springs 31 serves to overcome the weight of the drawer and the contents thereof when the drawer is being pushed to its normal closed position as shown in Fig. 5, so as to elevate and slidably seat the. top face of the tray 12 against the felt facing 20 to seal the gaseous contents of the tray in the spaces between the ridges 13, 14, and 15, and the plane border edge, though the drawer rolls freely when withdrawn and the astcrs have rolled off the run-ways 25 and 27, respectively.

A` stationary idler roller 31 is placed at the middle of the inside face of the sides of the drawer compartment near the front opening thereof to reduce side friction. A like roller 32 is mounted at the middle of theoutside faces of the drawer near-the rear end thereof. The drawer will thus roll without surface friction against the inside faces of the bottom and vertical sides of the drawer compartment, andv it will likewise roll on the front rollers 23 and the rear rollers 2 4 withoutk surface friction when withdrawing the drawer after the drawer has been withdrawn far enough for the casters 23 to engagethe face 29. Under the latter conditiomthesealing pressure of the tray 12 against the felt 2O is removed.

The drawer in Fig. l is in its partly withdrawn position wherein the piston-rod 33 is in engagement with the rear inside face 34 of the drawer compartment. Moving the drawer outwardly from its drawn position will cause the piston-rod 33 to be disengaged from theV rear drawer compartment face 34; the further outward movement of the drawer causing no operative effect on the mechanism contained in the drawer, about to be described.

Assume that the drawer has been witlr drawn from its compartment and is being replaced, and has reached the position shown in Fig. 1, wherein the mechanism of the drawer will be in the position shown in Fig. 2. Upon further closure movement of the drawer into its compartment the pistonrod. 33 will be operated due to its Contact with the rear inside face 34 of the drawer compartment. This will cause the pistonhead 34 to be driven to the left to exhaust any contained air or gas through the screened cylinder opening 35 (and against the seated checkvalve 36) into the rectangular purifying chamber 37, containing a purifying agent and through the screened opening 38 to the outside air. The purifying agent may be introduced and removed through the circular screwed cap 39 by removing the drawer from its compartment and inverting it so that the said cap will be upward. The purifying chamber may be removed as it is held in place by friction between the inside of the front drawer panel and the face of the opening 35.

When the piston-head 34 has partly operated and expelled a portion of the air or gas contained behind it, the rod 40 comes into contact with the rear inside face 34 of the drawer compartment and is alsopushed to the left so the oscillating lever 41 will swing about its pivot-pin 42 held by the rigid shackle-bracket 43 attached to the cylinder' 44. The rod 40 has a shacklecoupling 45for co-operating the rod 40 and the lever 41, there being a slottedi portion 4G in the lever 41 to permit the shackle-pin 48 to slide, in view of the rigid bearings 49 and 50 on brackets attached to the cylinder 44, through which bearings the rod 40 slides. A shackle-coupling 52 has parts 53 and 54 corresponding to parts 46 and 48 respectively. The piston-rod 56 connecting the ,pistonhead 57 is subject to the resilience of the compression Spiral spring 59, so as the rod 40 is moved to "the left under the closing movement of the drawer the piston-head 57 will be driven to the right to compress the spring 59 and exhaust the contents of the cylinder through the pipe 61, the duct and thence through the orifices 63 into the sterilizing compartment involved in the connecting depressions G5, G6, 67, 68 and 69 in which are resting the objects to be sterilized.

The rectangluar metal block 71 interposed as an element of the rod 40 is slotted so that the lever 72, which is pivoted on the pin 73 which is attached to the bracket 74 which secures the cylinder 44 to the rear inside face of the drawer will be operated with the reciprocations of the rod! 40 through the (2o-operation of the pin 75 passing through the slot 76 in the lever 72 and the walls of the block 71 through which the lever 72 passes as a tongue, thus forming a toggle joint. A segment shaped pawl 78 having a concentric slot 80 is freely pivoted on the pin 78, which latter pin also pivots the lever 72. A pin 81 rigidly attached to the lever 7 2 passes through the slot 80. A retracting spiral spring 83 is attached between a stud 84 on the lever 72 and a pin 85'Ll projecting radially from the apex of the pawl. The

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pawl 78 being freely pivoted on the pin 73, the said pawl will be normally maintained in its drawn position relative to the lever 7 2 under the tension of the spring 88. However, if the pawlk78is turned clock-wise about the pivot-pin 7 3 and then released it will return to the relative position shown in the drawing under the resilience of the spring 83. A rectangular metal cross-head block is rigidly secured to the piston-rod 33. One end of the block 85 has a groove portion 87 which registers with a rigid tongue guide 88. The slide 88 also acts as a brace between the cylinder 44 and the rear inside face of the d rawer 16. The other end olf the block 85 has a curved tace 89 which corresponds with the radius of the circumference of the tace of the segment 78.

lvvhen the rod carrying block 85 is moved to the leitand engages the segment 78, it causes the segment 7 8 to revolve clockwise about its pivot-pin 78, it being noted that when theA bloclt 85 hasy nearly approached the engagement of the segment 7 8, the movement of the rod l() will tend to cause the segment 78 to assume the dotted 3o "tion 78. which position it is prevented troin assuming due to the position then assumed by the block 85. However, as tho block Srmoves to the lett as the drawer is pushed to its normal closed position by the operator, the block 85 will pass beyond the lower edge ot' the segment 7 8 whereupon the segment i8 'ill rotate counter-clockwise un der tension of the springl 8B, into the position shown by the dotted lines 78', the blo-cl; then being at the lett ot the segment 78 in the position shown by the dotted lines 85. lThis latter position will be attained just before the drawer has become seated in its normally closed position. 'lhe contents et the cylinder lll is not now completely ei;- haisted but thc contents ot the cylinder 6() cgt the piston-head 57 has by this time been exhausted back into the sterilizing comparti position indicated b v the dotted lines 41.

By reference to Fig. 5, it will be noted that as the l chy 71 agpiproaches its cxtreme lett position, the valve stem 92 is engaged endwise bv bracket 90, and pushed through its packed joint and tubular bearing 94 :aoainst (he resilience ot the spring 96 spiraled around the said stem 92, and held between the collarl, which is rigidly attached to the stem 92. and the inside tace 01' the chamber 98. Pins tlf) on the stem 92 cooperate with slotted levers passing through the stein a tongue and attached to 'the valves Ulli and pivotcd by the pins 102 to brackets att ched to the inside upper wall ot the chamber S8. rllhe 'valves 100 have felt iacing's 10e which lit over the orilices 106 whenthe stem 92 is at its extreme lett position, and which occuppthe drawn position Ait, the lever 41 now being in the when the block 71 is at its extreme lett (in i f2) position and its bracket 90 will have moved the stem 92 to its drawn posi-- rlhe stem 92 beingl under the tension the valves to close the orifices 106. Th.;l stem 92 is movably co-operative with the. bracket over a very small portion of the cxtreme portion ot the last moven'icnt ot' the rod 40, as it approaches its lett extremity shown b'y the dotted lines 90 (in Fig. 2), consequent to the final seating ot the drawer in its compartment.

From the foregoing, it will be clear that the sterilizing agent held by the telt material 11G in the chamber 98 will not be in conmiunication iwith the sterilizing compartment by way oit the oriiices 106 at an),y position ot the drawer 16, excepting its seated position.

Assume that the drawer is being opened. rlhe rod 40 will move to the right under the resilience of the spring 59, as the drawer is unseated and is being withdrawn. The pin 81 is at the upper end of the slot 80, the spring 83 having rotated the segment counter-clockwise behind the block 85 at'ter the block 85 passed its engagement therewith. As the lever 72 rotates clockwise under the influence of the rod l0 moving to the right, the segment 78 will be rotated clock-wise under the influence of the pin 81 until the face 89 et the block 85 has. been disengaged. vThe piston-rod 33 will now be tree to restore until it encounters theinside tace 34 of the rear panel of the drawer compartment under thel influence of the resilience of the retractilc spring 118, which was extended as the piston-head 34 was moved to the lett to ex haust the contents ot the cylinder 44, described.

As the piston-head 57 retracts during the time the rod el() moves to the right under the influence ot compression spring 59 to the point ot releasing` the piston-rod 33 its piston-head creates a vacuum to exhaust gas trom the sterilizing con'ipartment through the orifices 63, duct (i2 and pipe (il. Then, as the piston-ro( f3?) reti-acts under the intluence of spring 113 upon being released after the piston-head 57 has reached the lett as shown in the drawing, the piston head 34 will create a vacuum behind it to ci:- haust more gas 'from the sterilizing conipartnient by way ot the oritices 115, duct 1151 check-valve 8b through the lett cylinder-head oli the cylinder -l-l.

The chamber Q8 has a tclescoping bottoni 118 which contains the telt material 110, there being four telescoping sides 120 attached to the said bottom 118, two end sides?.

only being shown in section. A latch 122 held under the friction of' two screws 123 serves to hold the telescoping member in position and to release it by manual operation, so it may be removed to renew the sterilizing agent, for example.

It will be understood that the foregoing described sterilizing device illustrative of my invention has been by way of example only, and, therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the exact or to the approximate construction set forth in the disclosure. The mechanical details, as well as its genen al organization, may be modified widely as to form of container, and as to the method of application of the principles, without de parting from the scope of my invention as defined by the terms of the subjoined claims,

I claim:

1.111 a sterilizer, a sliding drawer, a gas generating chamber, a sterilizing compa-rtment, a first and a second reservoir, means for conduct-ing gas from the generatH ing chamber to the sterilizing compartment, means for drawing a portion of the gas oontents of the sterilizing compartment into only the said first reservoir, means for drawing a portion ofv the gas contents of the sterilizing compartment into only the said second reservoir, and automatic means for replacing the contents of only the said first reservoir into the sterilizing compartment.

2.111 a sterilizer,` a sliding drawer, a gas generating chamber, a sterilizing compartment, a hist and a second reservoir` means for conducting gas from the generating chamber to the sterilizing compartment, means for drawing a portion of the gas contents of the sterilizing compartment into only the said first reservoir, means for drawing a portion of the gas contents of the sterilizing compartment into only the said second reservoir, and automatic means for replacing the contents of only the said first reservoir into the sterilizing compartment and for dischargingthe contents of only the second reservoir.

3.111 a steriliaer, a sliding dawer, a gas generating chamber, a sterilizing compartaient, a first and a second reservoir,

'for conducting gas from the generatnler to the steriliaing compartment, z means for drawing a portion of the contents cf the sterilizing compartnent into only the said first reservoir, automatic means for drawing a portion of the contents of the sterilizing compart- Y. ,nt into only the said second reservoir, and automatic means for replacing the contents of only the said first reservoir into the sterilizing compartment.

a. In a sterilizer, a sliding drawer` a gas generating chamber, a sterilizing compartment, a first andA a second reservoir,

y means for conducting gas from the generating chamber to the sterilizing conl` artment, means for `drawing af portion 0 the gas contents of' the sterilizing compartment into only the said first reservoir, means for thereafter drawing a portion of the gas contents of the sterilizing compartment into only the said second reservoir, and automatic means for replacing the contents of only the said first reservoir into the sterilizing compartment.

5. In a sterilizer, a sliding drawer, a gas generating chamber, a sterilizing compartment, a first and a second reservoir, means for conducting gas from the generating chamber to the sterilizing compartment, automatic means for drawing a portion of the gas contents of the sterilizing compartment into only the said first reservoir, automatic Imeans for drawing a portion of the gas contents of the sterilizing compartment into only the said second reservoir, and automatic means for replacing the contents of only the said first reservoir into the sterili'zing compartment and for discharging the contents of only the said second reservoir.

6.111 a sterilizer, a. sliding drawer, a gas generating chamber, a sterilizing compartment, a first and a second reservoir, means for conducting gas from the generatingchamber to the sterilizing compartment, means for drawing a portion of the gas` contents of the sterilizing compartment into the said first reservoir, means for thereafter drawing a portion of the gas contents of the sterilizing compartment into only the said secon reservoir, and automatic means for replacing the contents of only the said first reservoir into the sterilizing compartment and for discharging the contents of only the said second reservoir.

'l'. In a sterilizer, a sliding drawer, a gas generating chamber, a sterilizing compartment, a reservoir, means for conducting gas from the generating chamber to the sterilizing compartment, means for drawing a portion of the gas contents ofthe sterilizing compartment int-o the said reservoir consequent to opening the drawer, and means for replacing the content-s of the reservoir into the sterilizing compartment consequent to the closing of the drawer.

8. In a sterilizer, a sliding drawer, a gas generating chamber, a sterilizing compartment, a reservoir, means for conducting gas from the generating chamber to the sterilizing compartn'lent, means for drawing a portion of the gas contents of the sterilizing compartment into the said reservoir consequent to opening the drawer, means for confining the gas in its said generating chamber consequent to the opening of the-drawer, and means for replacing the contents of the reservoir into the sterlizing compartment and for'again permitting the gas to again flow from the generating chamber to the sterilizing ohamber consequent to the closing of the drawer.

9. In a steriiizer, a strilzing chamber, a gas generating chamber, a. reservoir7 a oiosure for the sterilzing compartment, means for conducting gas from the generating chamber to the sterilizing compartment, means for drawing a portion of the gas Contents of the sterilizing compartment into the said reservoir consequent to the opening of the said closure, and means for replacing the Contents of the reservoir into the sterilizing compartment consequent to the dosing of the said closure.

l0. In a steriiizer, a sterilizing Chamber, a gas generating Chamber, a reservoir, a Closure for the sterilizing compartment, means for conducting gas from the generating chamber to the sterilizing compartment, means for confining the gas in its said generating; chamber, means for drawing a portion of the gas contents of the sterilizing compartment into the Said reservoir and for Coniining the gas into the said generating chamber consequent to the opening of the said closure, and means for replacing the Contents of the reservoir into the sterilizing compartment and for restoring the flow of the gas between the gas generating chamber and the steriiizing compartment Consequent to the closing of the said closure.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 23 day of July, A. D., 1923.

EDVARD R. ULRICH.. 

